"The Stolen Lady" by Laura Morelli - Historical Fiction Book Club - Past Titles

About the Author: Laura Morelli

Education:
- Laura Morelli has a background in art history and holds advanced degrees in the subject. Her academic expertise likely contributes to her ability to provide insightful commentary on art and cultural topics.
Authorship:
- Laura Morelli has authored several books that focus on art, history, and cultural heritage. Her works often explore the connections between art and everyday life, providing readers with a deeper understanding of the cultural contexts in which art is created and appreciated.
The Artisans Trilogy:
- Laura Morelli is known for "The Artisans Trilogy," which includes novels such as "The Gondola Maker," "The Painter's Apprentice," and "The Stolen Lady." These novels blend historical fiction with art history, offering readers a narrative that revolves around art and craftsmanship.
Art History Expertise:
- Morelli's expertise in art history is evident in her writing, where she delves into the details of historical art movements, techniques, and the lives of artists. Her works often provide readers with a vivid sense of the historical and cultural contexts of art.
Cultural Commentary:
- In addition to her novels, Laura Morelli has contributed cultural commentary and articles to various publications. Her writings aim to bridge the gap between art history and the broader public, making art and cultural heritage accessible to a wider audience.
Educational Initiatives:
- Laura Morelli has been involved in educational initiatives, sharing her knowledge through lectures, workshops, and online resources. Her goal is to engage people with the rich tapestry of art and culture.
Passion for Travel:
- Laura Morelli's passion for travel is often intertwined with her exploration of art and culture. Through her writing, she invites readers to embark on journeys that connect them with the artistic treasures of different regions and historical periods.

Synopsis

France, 1939. At the dawn of World War II, Anne Guichard, a young archivist is employed at the Louvre. Once they reach Paris, the Nazis will stop at nothing to get their hands on the Louvre's art collection. With the Germans hard on their heels, Anne frantically moves the Mona Lisa and other treasures again and again in an elaborate game of hide and seek. Florence, 1479. House servant Bellina Sardi's future seems fixed when she accompanies her newly married mistress, Lisa Gherardini, to her home across the Arno. But soon, Bellina finds herself bewitched by a charismatic monk who has urged Florentines to rise up against the Medici family. When Master Leonardo da Vinci is commissioned to paint a portrait of Lisa, Bellina finds herself tasked with hiding an impossible secret.

Historical Timeline

Normandy Invasion (D-Day) - June 6, 1944:
- Allied forces launch a massive amphibious invasion on the beaches of Normandy, leading to the liberation of Western Europe. The Normandy Invasion is a turning point in the war.
Liberation of Paris (August 25, 1944):
- Paris is liberated from German occupation by a combination of Free French forces and Allied troops. General Charles de Gaulle leads the French Provisional Government.
Post-Liberation Period:
- The Provisional Government of the French Republic is established. Trials for collaborators take place, and the Vichy government officials are held accountable.
Establishment of the Fourth Republic (1946):
- A new French constitution is adopted, leading to the establishment of the Fourth Republic. Political instability and challenges characterize this period.
First Indochina War (1946-1954):
- France becomes involved in the First Indochina War as it seeks to maintain control over its colonial possessions in Southeast Asia.
Foundation of the European Coal and Steel Community (1951):
- In the aftermath of World War II, France is a founding member of the European Coal and Steel Community, a precursor to the European Union.
Algerian War of Independence (1954-1962):
- France faces the Algerian War of Independence as Algeria seeks independence from French rule. The conflict leads to significant political and social changes in France.
Establishment of the Fifth Republic (1958):
- Charles de Gaulle returns to power and leads the establishment of the Fifth Republic, characterized by a strong executive presidency.

This timeline provides an overview of key events in France during World War II and its aftermath. It's important to note that the period was complex, with various political, social, and military dynamics shaping the history of the country.

The history of France during World War II is marked by a complex series of events, including the German invasion, the occupation of France, resistance movements, collaboration, and the eventual liberation. Here is a timeline highlighting key moments during this period:

1939: Outbreak of World War II:
- World War II begins with the German invasion of Poland. France and the United Kingdom declare war on Germany.
1940: German Invasion of France:
- In May 1940, German forces launch a rapid invasion of France. The Blitzkrieg tactics lead to the fall of France, and Paris is occupied by German forces on June 14, 1940.
Vichy France (1940-1944):
- After the fall of France, a collaborationist government is established in the unoccupied zone under Marshal Philippe Pétain. The Vichy government collaborates with the Germans, implementing anti-Semitic laws and suppressing opposition.
Resistance Movements:
- Despite the occupation, resistance movements emerge. The French Resistance engages in acts of sabotage, intelligence gathering, and support for Allied forces.
Operation Torch (1942):
- Allied forces, including American and British troops, land in French North Africa. This marks the beginning of the Allied presence in French territories.

Normandy Invasion (D-Day) - June 6, 1944:
- Allied forces launch a massive amphibious invasion on the beaches of Normandy, leading to the liberation of Western Europe. The Normandy Invasion is a turning point in the war.
Liberation of Paris (August 25, 1944):
- Paris is liberated from German occupation by a combination of Free French forces and Allied troops. General Charles de Gaulle leads the French Provisional Government.
Post-Liberation Period:
- The Provisional Government of the French Republic is established. Trials for collaborators take place, and the Vichy government officials are held accountable.
Establishment of the Fourth Republic (1946):
- A new French constitution is adopted, leading to the establishment of the Fourth Republic. Political instability and challenges characterize this period.
First Indochina War (1946-1954):
- France becomes involved in the First Indochina War as it seeks to maintain control over its colonial possessions in Southeast Asia.
Foundation of the European Coal and Steel Community (1951):
- In the aftermath of World War II, France is a founding member of the European Coal and Steel Community, a precursor to the European Union.
Algerian War of Independence (1954-1962):
- France faces the Algerian War of Independence as Algeria seeks independence from French rule. The conflict leads to significant political and social changes in France.
Establishment of the Fifth Republic (1958):
- Charles de Gaulle returns to power and leads the establishment of the Fifth Republic, characterized by a strong executive presidency.

1939: Outbreak of World War II:
- World War II begins with the German invasion of Poland. France and the United Kingdom declare war on Germany.
1940: German Invasion of France:
- In May 1940, German forces launch a rapid invasion of France. The Blitzkrieg tactics lead to the fall of France, and Paris is occupied by German forces on June 14, 1940.
Vichy France (1940-1944):
- After the fall of France, a collaborationist government is established in the unoccupied zone under Marshal Philippe Pétain. The Vichy government collaborates with the Germans, implementing anti-Semitic laws and suppressing opposition.
Resistance Movements:
- Despite the occupation, resistance movements emerge. The French Resistance engages in acts of sabotage, intelligence gathering, and support for Allied forces.
Operation Torch (1942):
- Allied forces, including American and British troops, land in French North Africa. This marks the beginning of the Allied presence in French territories.

Normandy Invasion (D-Day) - June 6, 1944:
- Allied forces launch a massive amphibious invasion on the beaches of Normandy, leading to the liberation of Western Europe. The Normandy Invasion is a turning point in the war.
Liberation of Paris (August 25, 1944):
- Paris is liberated from German occupation by a combination of Free French forces and Allied troops. General Charles de Gaulle leads the French Provisional Government.
Post-Liberation Period:
- The Provisional Government of the French Republic is established. Trials for collaborators take place, and the Vichy government officials are held accountable.
Establishment of the Fourth Republic (1946):
- A new French constitution is adopted, leading to the establishment of the Fourth Republic. Political instability and challenges characterize this period.
First Indochina War (1946-1954):
- France becomes involved in the First Indochina War as it seeks to maintain control over its colonial possessions in Southeast Asia.
Foundation of the European Coal and Steel Community (1951):
- In the aftermath of World War II, France is a founding member of the European Coal and Steel Community, a precursor to the European Union.
Algerian War of Independence (1954-1962):
- France faces the Algerian War of Independence as Algeria seeks independence from French rule. The conflict leads to significant political and social changes in France.
Establishment of the Fifth Republic (1958):
- Charles de Gaulle returns to power and leads the establishment of the Fifth Republic, characterized by a strong executive presidency.

MLN Materials

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Ebook Versions

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The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron
Call Number: FICTION Cambron
Today. Sera James spends most of her time arranging auctions for the art world's elite clientele. When her search to uncover an original portrait of an unknown Holocaust victim leads her to William Hanover III, they learn that this painting is much more than it seems. Vienna, 1942. Adele Von Bron has always known what was expected of her. As a prodigy of Vienna's vast musical heritage, this concert violinist intends to carry on her family's tradition and play with the Vienna Philharmonic. But when the Nazis learn that she helped smuggle Jews out of the city, Adele is taken from her promising future and thrust into the horrifying world of Auschwitz. The veil of innocence is lifted to expose a shuddering presence of evil, and Adele realizes that her God-given gift is her only advantage; she must play. Becoming a member of the Women's Orchestra of Auschwitz, she fights for survival. Adele's barbed-wire walls begin to kill her hope as the months drag into nearly two years in the camp. With surprising courage against the backdrop of murder and despair, Adele finally confronts a question that has been tugging at her heart: Even in the midst of evil, can she find hope in worshipping God with her gift. As Sera and William learn more about the subject of the mysterious portrait-Adele-they are reminded that whatever horrors one might face, God's faithfulness never falters.
Alchemy of a Blackbird by Claire McMillan
Call Number: FICTION McMillan
Painter Remedios Varo and her lover, poet Benjamin Peret escape the Nazis by fleeing Paris and arriving at a safe house for artists on the Rivieria. Along with Max Ernst, Peggy Guggenheim, and others, the two anxiously wait for exit papers. As the months pass, Remedios begins to sense that the others don't see her as a fellow artist; they have cast her in the stifling role of a surrealist ideal: the beautiful innocent. She finds refuge in a mysterious bookshop, where she stumbles into a world of occult learning and intensifies an esoteric practice in the tarot that helps her light the bright fire of her creative genius. When travel documents come through, Remedios and Benjamin flee to Mexico where she is reunited with friend and fellow painter Leonora Carrington. Together, the women tap into their creativity, stake their independence, and each find their true loves. But it is the tarot that enables them to access the transcendent that lies on the other side of consciousness and to become the truest Surrealists of all.
The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
Call Number: FICTION O'Farrell
Florence, the 1550s. Lucrezia, third daughter of the grand duke, is obscure in the palazzo's clandestine workings. Then her older sister dies on the eve of her wedding to the Alfonso, ruler of Ferrara, Modena and Reggio. Now Lucrezia is to take her sister's place in a troubled court where her arrival is not universally welcomed. Sitting for her wedding portrait, one thing becomes clear to Lucrezia: her only duty is to provide an heir to shore up the future of the Ferrarese dynasty.
The Secret Messenger by Mandy Robotham
Call Number: FICTION Robotham
Venice, 1943: The world is at war, and Stella Jilani is leading a double life. By day she works in the lion's den as a typist for the Reich; by night, she risks her life as a messenger for the Italian resistance. Against all odds, Stella must impart Nazi secrets, smuggle essential supplies and produce an underground newspaper on her beloved typewriter .But when German commander General Breugal becomes suspicious, it seems he will stop at nothing to find the mole, and Stella knows her future could be in jeopardy ... London, 2017: Years later, Luisa Belmont finds a mysterious old typewriter in her attic. Determined to find out who it belonged to, Luisa delves into the past and uncovers a story of fierce love, unimaginable sacrifice and, ultimately, the worst kind of betrayal ... Set between German-occupied 1940s Venice and modern-day London, this is a fascinating tale of the bravery of everyday women in the darkest corners of WWII.
The Last Painting of Sara de Vos by Dominic Smith
Call Number: FICTION Smith
Amsterdam, 1631: Sara de Vos becomes the first woman to be admitted as a master painter to the city's Guild of St. Luke. Though women do not paint landscapes (they are generally restricted to indoor subjects), a wintry outdoor scene haunts Sara: She cannot shake the image of a young girl from a nearby village, standing alone beside a silver birch at dusk, staring out at a group of skaters on the frozen river below. Defying the expectations of her time, she decides to paint it. New York City, 1957: The only known surviving work of Sara de Vos, At the Edge of a Wood , hangs in the bedroom of a wealthy Manhattan lawyer, Marty de Groot, a descendant of the original owner. It is a beautiful but comfortless landscape. The lawyer's marriage is prominent but comfortless, too. When a struggling art history grad student, Ellie Shipley, agrees to forge the painting for a dubious art dealer, she finds herself entangled with its owner in ways no one could predict. Sydney, 2000: Now a celebrated art historian and curator, Ellie Shipley is mounting an exhibition in her field of specialization: female painters of the Dutch Golden Age. When it becomes apparent that both the original At the Edge of a Wood and her forgery are en route to her museum, the life she has carefully constructed threatens to unravel entirely and irrevocably.
The Paris Deception by Bryn Turnbull
Call Number: FICTION Turnbull
From internationally bestselling author Bryn Turnbull comes a breathtaking novel about art theft and forgery in Nazi-occupied Paris, and two brave women who risk their lives rescuing looted masterpieces from Nazi destruction. Sophie Dix fled Stuttgart with her brother as the Nazi regime gained power in Germany. Now, with her brother gone and her adopted home city of Paris conquered by the Reich, Sophie reluctantly accepts a position restoring damaged art at the Jeu de Paume museum under the supervision of the ERR--a German art commission using the museum as a repository for art they've looted from Jewish families. Fabienne Brandt was a rising star in the Parisian bohemian arts movement until the Nazis put a stop to so-called "degenerate" modern art. Still mourning the loss of her firebrand husband, she's resolved to muddle her way through the occupation in whatever way she can--until her estranged sister-in-law, Sophie, arrives at her door with a stolen painting in hand. Soon the two women embark upon a plan to save Paris's "degenerates," working beneath the noses of Germany's top art connoisseurs to replace the paintings in the Jeu de Paume with skillful forgeries--but how long can Sophie and Fabienne sustain their masterful illusion?